{"nrhp_refnum":"86000868","name":"Golden Eagle Wine Cellars","other_names":["Lonz Winery"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"Fox and Lonz Rds.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Middle Bass Island","county":"Ottawa County","state":"OH","lat":41.67677907350006,"lon":-82.81037329373618,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1986-04-24","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Industry","Agriculture","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A complex of winery buildings, residences, a wine press and a boat basin on the southern tip of Middle Bass Island in Lake Erie, Ottawa County, Ohio. It grew from the Wehrle Golden Eagle Wine Cellars (cellar 1870-71) and the Lonz winery, with the present winery begun in 1934.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the complex is the oldest, largest and best preserved of the Lake Erie island wineries, and is reputed to be among the oldest and, once, largest in the United States. It is also architecturally notable for the unusual stone, stucco and brick winery and for varied residences from about 1866 to 1906. Its history links the Wehrle and Lonz wine-making families.","narrative":"On the southern tip of Middle Bass Island in Lake Erie, this group of buildings grew around two wine-making enterprises. Andrew Wehrle founded the Golden Eagle Wine Cellars in 1866, and by 1871 its storage capacity was reputed to make it one of the largest wineries in the country. Fires in 1923 and 1942 destroyed upper structures, but the 1870-71 limestone cellar survived. George Lonz bought the property in 1926 and began rebuilding in 1934 with builder Henry Blocker. The result is a castle-like winery of block, brick, stone and stucco, topped by a central tower with a copper-domed observatory. The complex also includes the c. 1866 Siegrist-Lonz house, an 1885 wine press, workers' and manager's residences built before 1874, a 1906 Queen Anne house and a stone boat basin. It was listed as the oldest, largest and best preserved of the Lake Erie island wineries, with architectural and historical importance.","period_of_significance":"1866 - c. 1945","architect_builder":"Henry Blocker","architectural_style":"No distinct style; winery described as gothic, medieval and moorish; also Greek Revival, Italianate and Queen Anne residences","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"Condition rated from excellent to deteriorated; the boat basin and wine press interior are in disrepair. Listed use includes a working winery, with a 1983 manager's residence renovation.","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:53:14.993188-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_OH/86000868.pdf"},"photo":null,"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71990803","wikipedia":null,"wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138646526"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/ohio/ottawa-county/golden-eagle-wine-cellars-86000868/"}